The Daily bulletin. [volume] (Honolulu [Hawaii]) 1882-1895, 1887-11-01
BEING THE ACCOUNT OF THE CRUISE
OF II. B. MS SHIP OF WAR THE
BLUNDERBUss FROM PANAMA,
u. s. OF C. TO HONOLULU, II. I.
Extracted from the Records Of the Archaic
Club.
BY PERcIvAL LESLIE.


emerged from the Military work
shop of Vulcan, to usurp the chains
of Justice.
The charges preferred against the
Chaplain were two. First, his ac-
ceptance of a challenge to fight q
duel, and second his actually fight
ing the duel, both contrary to the
form of Regulations governing the
Maryland in conflict with the goot
order and dignity of II. B. NJ:
peace abroad. These charges were
met with spirit of opposition or
the part of the accused that so as
tonished the Judge Advocate as to
place his already arranged pro-
gramme of action-and understood
verdict of the Court, as much at
sea-as was the good ship itself.
What had been arranged as straight
sailing, presented obstacles not
marked on the chart, and the in
Vulnerable questions and niceties in
the law, that the Chaplains counsel
raised, put more serious counten-
ance on the case than such Courts
are wont to wear.
Finally all the evidence available
was offered and the case closed for
consideration. The whole dwindled
down to this. Did the evidence
taken before the Court warrant the
ordering of Court Martial to try
the accused? The charge was ac-
cepting a challenge, and fighting a
duel. Was it proven? None of the
witnesses produced could testify to
more than hearsay-nothing direct
or positive-consequently only cir
cumstance, nobody saw it. No one
knew anything positively except the
accused-and they under all laws,
could not be compelled to testify to
anything that would criminate
themselves. Hence they could only
be judged by the circumstancial-
and even that was of doubtful tangi-
bility. So after argument and re-
argument-turning and tearing the
case to pieces-they concluded that
there could be only one verdict in
the case-and that, that the evidence
produced before the Court of In
quiry, was not sufficient to warrant
the summoning of Court and that
whilst deeming the Chaplains con-
duct not above suspicion-they
found that the charges preferred
against him were not proven.
The announcement of this verdict
to the accused was received by him
with the unruflled dignity of a man,
who desperate circumstances had
made ready for any emergency. Yet,
though in measure clearly vendi-
Gated, the Chaplain felt that his
dignity and honor both as an officer
and Priest had been so attacked
that the only course left him, con-
sistent with proper line of conduct
of gentleman-would be to tender
his resignation to the government
that required of them gentlemanly
conduct, and nicely of honor, yet
compelled them to bear the weight
of insult, by denying them the right
to resort to proper vindication. This
fact, coupled with the additional one
that the glitter and brass of the
uniform, and sounding of trumpets
and roarings of cannon, did not
produce either a mental Elysium
nor social or intellectual Utopia.
Accordingly that afternoon he tend
cred his resignation to the Captain
to take effect on their reaching the
Port of Honolulu-after having sent
his letter he CHANGING to pass the
cabin door-overheard the Captain
remark that he didn't see what use
Chaplains were on shipboard--except
as a nuisance and hindrance to
proper discipline-with an addi-
tional remark consigning them to a
place not as cool as Alaska-con-
WINGED him beyond question of the
wisdom of the step he had taken.
The case of the midshipman COM
ing under the same ruling was dis
posed of in like manner-but it
was never recorded that he in immita-
ton of the Chaplain sent in his re-
signation. For him such a
step was so weighty as to require
great consideration--so great In
fact, that the notes of the Chaplain
made no mention of any conclusion
the young gentleman arrived at.
Having relieved his mind of this
matter, the Chaplain with a degree
of complacency settled him down,
to make as easy as possible, the long
and tiresome voyage that lay before
him.
Thirty-seven long, uneventful and
exceedingly wearisome days passed
before they heard the ever welcome
cry of Land no! To the Chaplain
the cry had a peculiar significance
to him it meant freedom-restora-
ton to scenes untrammelled by the
hustle and show of naval life. In
a short time the goodly ship ap-
preaching Diamond Point, and
steaming along the barrier of coral
reefs, they pass through the narrow